Heritage Farm is one of Huntington’s best-kept secrets
with everything from cozy bed and breakfast inns to spacious banquet
facilities to suit
your next social gathering.

Article by Marla BrannanPhotography by David E. Fattaleh

According to Mike Perry, owner and operator of Huntington’s Heritage
Farm Village and Museum, guaranteeing a lasting museum can be a challenge.
So the retired attorney and banker, along with his wife Henriella, figured
out a more secure source of revenue than just the price of admission – using
the beautiful structures at Heritage Farm in an alternative fashion.
In so doing, the Farm has become Huntington’s hidden hideaway.
With four bed and breakfasts, it’s the perfect close-to-home romantic
getaway or alternative to downtown lodging for out-of- town guests.

Located
just two miles from Fifth Street hill on Harvey Road in Wayne County,
Heritage Farm Village and Museum is a collection of more than
15 authentically outfitted buildings ranging from a one-room schoolhouse
and general store to a blacksmith shop and sawmill. But what many people
may not realize is that four antiques-filled homes, the church, the Welcome
Center and Heritage Hall are all available for rent at extremely reasonable
rates. The bed and breakfasts (Strawberry, Hollyberry, Blackberry and
Apple Butter Inns) look and feel rustic with log walls, period pieces
and wood burning fireplaces, but are actually fully modern with kitchens,
heating and air conditioning, laundry facilities and a pool. As Mr. Perry
says, “The Farm merges our extraordinary heritage with the beauty
and conveniences of our modern society – atmosphere and convenience – six
blocks from the city limits.”

Heritage Farm grew out of Mike and
Henriella’s desire to not just
preserve our Appalachian heritage, but to show the world (and ourselves)
that it is something of which to be proud. “One of our challenges
in West Virginia is that people have either quit dreaming or they have
low self-esteem, and I’ve become
convinced that no one outside the state will think more highly of us
than we think of ourselves. We think that when people come through the
Museum they’ll see their ancestors in a different light. The story
that’s never been told is the wonderful story of those who came
down the rivers and over the mountains and
created this marvelous quality of life. They got lost between the settlement
of the East Coast and the western movement. What about them? The ‘good
old days’ weren’t so good – but the people were! We
should be immensely proud of our Appalachian heritage. These people were
ingenious in the variety of ways they could live off the land and were
as self-reliant as any group of people I’ve identified in this
country since our Native Americans. Give me two hours at the Museum and
people, whether from Appalachia or not, can’t help but leave with
an appreciation of these people and who we are and why we have every
right to be proud. That’s why we’re delighted to have people
from all over visit.”

This is the Museum’s philosophy: Study
the past. Gain an appreciation of the present. Think about and plan for
the future. It isn’t about
simple nostalgia; it’s about noticing how those Appalachian pioneers
welcomed and bested change. And, it’s about how we could learn
a valuable lesson from them. Mike and Henriella think this lesson is
important enough that they’re spending their retirement years pursuing
it.

“I’m so proud of my wife,” Mike says. “Here
we are in retirement and she has a full time job! Her day starts feeding
the animals,
and she runs the Museum and takes care of arrangements for people who
want to use our facilities. Lots of people are taking cruises and traveling
and playing golf. But this is what we enjoy and what we think is important.
We don’t want to have spent this much time and energy for something
that will have to be dismantled when we’re gone.”

Growing
out of that desire was the need to find a way of securing the future so schoolchildren and
grandparents alike can continue discovering the ingenuity, industriousness
and perseverance of their ancestors. At first only the church and Apple
Butter Inn were used for small parties and weddings. Mike decided to
focus on activities that would bring people to Heritage Farm and make
it well-known as more than a wonderful museum. He certainly succeeded. “Now
we have four large homes available for bed and breakfasts, a church which
now has beautiful pews making it more suitable for weddings, a Welcome
Center which can seat 80-90 for dinner, and the recently completed Heritage
Hall that can seat 150 for dinner. This makes it possible to deal with
events like high school or family reunions with people coming in from
various parts of the country.” And don’t worry about the
kids. With a petting zoo and hay rides available there’s plenty
to keep them busy. In fact, one concern the Perry’s often hear
is parents’ fear that their kids will be bored. It’s rarely
a problem.

“I’m hoping these facilities will catch on and help subsidize
the museum so school-children can keep enjoying this place. We’re
not going to compete with the Radisson and large downtown weddings with
receptions
at the Guyan Country Club. I just want this place to maintain itself
and stand once I’m gone.”

So if you want a peaceful, convenient
and affordable alternative for your romantic getaway, wedding, reunion, party, strategic planning meeting,
Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, out-of-town guest lodging or children’s
birthday party (or anything else you might dream up), consider Heritage
Farm Village and Museum. You’ll find the tranquility and simplicity
an inspiration for your daily life. As Mike affirms, “The whole
purpose is to slow down, unwind, talk to each other, play games, take
a walk, get things back in
perspective. Let’s figure things out and remember what’s
important. Let’s not get stuck in the past or the present – let’s
look toward the future.”

Heritage Farm Village and Museum won the
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Medal for Historic Preservation. For
information about facilities and prices, log ontoheritagefarmmuseum.com or call 304-522-1244.